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Trust and Letting Go

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img_0144-webI was clearing up from a reported water rescue the other day (turned out to be a false call) and I was reviewing the thoughts that had run through my head on the way to the alarm.  Unfortunately, the 18 years I spent as the special operations officer still causes me to immediately think “special ops” instead of reflexively thinking “incident commander”, but I can (and have) consciously made that switch.

I was wondering to myself why that is.  Is it ingrained in me? I’m sure that’s part of it, but is it also an issue of trust?

For these officers that are now doing my old job, although we have trained them and evaluated them, and have vetted their abilities, it’s still an issue of letting go.  Just as a parent discovers their child is ready to go off on their own, it’s always difficult to turn that nozzle over to the new guy and be the one standing behind them, guiding them in rather then doing it.  They will make mistakes, no doubt about it, but your job is to be there to coach them and mentor them, not to do it for them.

I always was amazed at what a lousy supervisor Captain Kirk was (I’m sure that will set someone off).  Why is it that HE always had to beam down to the planet to save the day?  Didn’t he have any confidence in his personnel?  His job should have been to teach them, encourage them, and point them in the direction.  Then it’s a matter of a little shove out of the nest and they should be flying.

Don’t make the mistake between being the “go-to” person and being a leader who won’t let go of your charges.  When they say “you can catch a fish and feed a man, but it’s better to teach them to fish and they can do it forever”, you can see what I mean.  Do you think that it’s a GOOD legacy to have your subordinates depend upon you forever?

Posted by truck6alpha on February 26, 2009 • Filed under: change, education, fire service, leadership, motivation, officership, professionalism • Tagged: , , , , ,

Missed Opportunities

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p1010075As a follow-up to my post from the other day about “striking while the iron is hot” in regard to educating others, I wanted to discuss a little bit about opportunity.

Ancticipating  that at some point, an opportunity will occur to implement your vision or educate others, good leaders plan for that moment, and await the timing to be right.  If you present a great idea before the time is ripe, the message can get lost and your efforts will be in vain.  It goes right back to my analogy of the home fire where taking that “educational moment” where the idea is fresh in everyones’ minds to discuss smoke detectors is beneficial; on any other day, the public just tunes it out and adds the message in with the other things going on that day.

I read a pretty good deal on military strategy as a way of gaining insight into leadership.  One of my favorite books is “Mastering the Art of War” by Thomas Cleary.  A great passage in this text is in “The Way of the General”, regarding the formation of opportunity.  In it, Cleary translates from Zhuge Liang:

There are three avenues of opportunity: events, trends, and conditions.  When opportunities occur through events but you are unable to respond, you are not smart.  When opportunities become active through a trend and yet you can not make plans, you are not wise.  When opportunities emerge through conditions but you cannot act on them, you are not bold.  Those skilled in generalship always achieve their victories by taking advantage of opportunities.

As a leader, there are ideas that you may have that may be courageous or bold, but others consider a little “out there”.  That comes with the territory of having vision, believe me.  But there is a great deal to be learned in this passage in regard to knowing what message you want to deliver, having it prepared, and shooting it out there when the timing is right.  It’s called effective communication.

Know that as a leader, you will be challenged with making changes that may not be popular or easy.  But in light of that, if you have the chance to insure the timing is right, a skilled leader will make their presentation while people are emotionally engaged with the issue. 

Don’t forsake your opportunity to make beneficial change to your organization or you community by missing out when the stars are aligned.  Be prepared in advance, know your subject, and sock it to them when the door opens. It might be your shining moment, and you certainly don’t want to be left in the dust when the moment occurs.

Posted by truck6alpha on February 16, 2009 • Filed under: change, customer service, education, fire service, government, leadership, planning, politics, professionalism, revolution • Tagged: , , , , ,

Speaking of "Fireproof"

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Pulled from Firegeezer.com

Pulled from Firegeezer.com

I normally don’t like to double-post, but I was checking out Firegeezer.com and found this great (okay, so if it was your truck it wasn’t so great) story about a little exposure issue.

THAT’S gotta suck, but I felt that I had to share.  Good night.

Posted by truck6alpha on February 14, 2009 • Filed under: "accident prevention", firefighting, safety

Customer Education

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img_0408Every time I hear someone use the term “fireproof”, it makes me think of something my dad (a retired Fire Marshal) used to say: “Nothing is fireproof; a cinderblock at the bottom of the ocean will burn if you can get it to the right temperature.”

When you hear people refer to SCBA as our “oxygen tanks”, does it make you cringe?  When you see multiple sprinkler head activations for a burning trash can on TV, do you just say, “Thanks, Hollywood”?

It all brings me to the question, is our education of the public sufficiently adequate to convey our message?  If they don’t even understand the basic issues of a sprinkler head activation, how can we get them to grasp the necessity of sprinkler system installations?

When you have teachable moments in your community, it is imperative that you capitalize on them, while of course, being tactful.  Although I think most communities would squirm if we led a group of gawking civilians through a fire fatality scene, this is still the best time to point out the importance of smoke detectors, of having a home exit plan, and of residential sprinklers.  Strike while the iron is hot, right?

If your department doesn’t have a good connection with the media, it is very important to establish one.  This person should be good about getting the media out to scenes and taking that opportunity to point out the things that could save the lives and property of others.  Reporters have a lot on their plate as it is, with having to cover multiple stories, and serving up a good story to them is like offering a picnic basket to a hungry bear.  If it’s a public service announcement on detector maintenance, that’s one thing, but if you can tie it to that teachable moment, THAT is a story.

Make your job easier by making the people you serve a little more smart about the things you do.  You’ll find that they appreciate your efforts more in the long run, and who knows, they might even be inclined to take up your cause for you when you need a little helping hand (like at budget time).  It’s always hard to say “no” to someone you are on a first name basis with.  When you are out there educating them, you are exactly that person.

Posted by truck6alpha on February 14, 2009 • Filed under: customer service, education, funding, government, leadership, planning, politics, professionalism

Planning for US&R Teams

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mod-abt-recon-34I was sharing some information with a colleague tonight and I realized that perhaps some of you reading might like access to this research as well.  This is my paper on Developing a Strategic Plan for the South Carolina Urban Search and Rescue Program.

It is a pretty lengthy read (115 pages) but if you are looking into development of US&R (or other special teams), it might provide you a little direction given that our program (SC-TF1) seems like it has done pretty well.  I attribute that success to people like Ken Bell, Tom Webb, and Don Headrick, as well as a host of others (our first Director, Ray Wilkinson, and the chiefs of our Firefighter Mobilization Oversight Committee).  The foundation that was laid for the program came at a price for many of us; between the many trips back and forth to Columbia, spending countless hours away from our families, burning up our personal cell phone minutes (no unlimited long distance in those days), and our cashing every political chip we had (and then some).

 The Task Force and the state response program is these days in the very capable hands of Ken and our new Director, Dan McManus, as well as Tom, Jason Walters, Steve Drozd, and Travis Carricato, but it all requires a good plan and a little momentum.

So look it over (hey, it got me through my third year EFO) and let me know if it is useful and if you have something you’d like to share.  A wise man (Bob McKee, from TX-TF1) once told me that he was indebted to those who shared with him in his early days, and he was a great resource to me when we were devleoping our program as well.  I hope to pay that kindness forward as well.

Posted by truck6alpha on February 11, 2009 • Filed under: National Fire Academy, SAR, US&R, funding, government, leadership, planning, politics

The Difference Between Fact and Fiction

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Hilton Head Island Truck 6 at Tabby Walk FireFirehouse.com has an article on the NIST study being conducted in Maryland and Virginia regarding fire company staffing and I am excited to see what the eventual findings are.  Why am I “excited”?  It seems like a pretty interesting feeling to have about a study that deals with something we already know to be true.  I mean, isn’t having four people on an engine always better than three?  Isn’t having five better than four?  Doesn’t this study seem to be a waste of time and money?

Well, I’m going to throw something out there that might shock you.  We really don’t know, do we?  We know from “experience” that it seems like it is better, but do we have statistical analysis proving our hypothesis to be true?

In the fire service, did you ever think you’d hear the term “hypothesis” uttered?  Did you think that once you left seventh-grade biology, that you were done with that term and the implications of proving something scientifically?

One of the biggest problems the fire service has is in the field of scientific credibility.  The EMS community has realized something that the medical community has shown to be beneficial for a long time; that proving your assumptions to be true via testing and analysis of a theory only ADDS credibility to your findings.  And you know what?  If you find those assumptions to be false, those findings should be published as well.

We in the fire service rely heavily on anecdotal evidence.  If we have experienced something and it works, than it must be true.  Unfortunately, that is not a correct assumption.  Just because something works twice or three times doesn’t mean that it will on the fourth attempt.  It MIGHT, but then, it MIGHT NOT.  The way we need to define these assumptions is through research and analysis.

One of the values of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program has been the development of its library of Applied Research Projects.  In doing four of these over the course of the program, each student learns about the importance of research and proving a theory rather than leaning on assumptions.  While these are being done, the NFA is also compiling a vast array of information that is available to every firefighter in the world.

Whatever the outcome, I hope we are able to get information that will definitively help firefighters work more safely and efficiently, but while giving us the tools (information) by which we can approach city managers and elected officials with facts and not emotion.  Accurate data only adds to our ammunition when we present our case, and armed with the right information, we can make a more positive impact in our profession.

Posted by truck6alpha on February 7, 2009 • Filed under: National Fire Academy, change, fire service, firefighting, politics, safety, technology

It's a Zen Thing

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edited-chalmette3-79This isn’t a very insightful post, but in light of the outstanding traffic we have been getting now with links on Dave Statter’s STATter 911 blog, FireGeezer.com (at least they promised the link this week), FireRescue1.com’s The Kitchen Table, and of course, the fine people (Dave) over at FirefighterNation.com who got me started in this endeavor, I felt it was a good idea to reintroduce the concept here as well as make a few other statements.

First, welcome.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, Firehouse Zen isn’t your basic fire service blog.  Where some fire service sites are wonderful, necessary internet tools (the previously named sites, as well as VentEntersearch.com, VentingThe Roof. com, and FirefighterHourly.com), they also have a lot of news updates and hot issues.  Unfortunately/fortunately I have a lot on my plate, so trying to tend a site like that would kill me.  Plus, these other guys do them so well, why try to add another?

No, Firehouse Zen is about the ESSENCE of leadership, of commanding well-trained, disciplined, professional emergency responders in modern-day disasters.  It’s more about opening your eyes up to your potential and the opportunities you have to learn and change.  It’s all about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and understanding the whole picture.  Thus, the “zen” part of things.

Case in point- yesterday, I was trying to explain to someone the logic in trimming our departmental budget in this uncertain economic environment.  They were pretty positive that any trim was a bad one.  When I pointed out to them that they needed to look at the total picture, they just weren’t buying it.  I said, “Falling fifty feet is going to hurt whether you land in water or on the sidewalk; the difference is that landing in the water will sting for a while, and landing on the sidewalk is more of a permanent issue.”  They still weren’t getting it.  Well, Firehouse Zen probably isn’t going to help this person.  They don’t see the forest for the tree they are standing in front of.

So, if you ARE one of the people who get IT, I hope you add me to your RSS feeds, or link to me, or favorite me, or whatever it is you need to do to come back.  I fixed the “comments” issue, which of course, was something I checked off on that kept anyone from commenting unless they had commented before.  That’s a problem if no one other than me has ever commented before.  So, it’s fixed.  Otherwise, I hope you enjoy my ranting and know that I am truly interested to hear your perspective on things, so long as you can do so in a civil manner and with mutual respect. I know I don’t have all the answers, but I do have a lot of questions, and sometimes those questions help me to understand things and people a little better.

It’s a Zen thing.

Posted by truck6alpha on February 3, 2009 • Filed under: Firefighter Nation, General, change, fire service, leadership, motivation, officership, professionalism • Tagged: , , ,

It's a Zen Thing

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edited-chalmette3-79This isn’t a very insightful post, but in light of the outstanding traffic we have been getting now with links on Dave Statter’s STATter 911 blog, FireGeezer.com (at least they promised the link this week), FireRescue1.com’s The Kitchen Table, and of course, the fine people (Dave) over at FirefighterNation.com who got me started in this endeavor, I felt it was a good idea to reintroduce the concept here as well as make a few other statements.

First, welcome.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, Firehouse Zen isn’t your basic fire service blog.  Where some fire service sites are wonderful, necessary internet tools (the previously named sites, as well as VentEntersearch.com, VentingThe Roof. com, and FirefighterHourly.com), they also have a lot of news updates and hot issues.  Unfortunately/fortunately I have a lot on my plate, so trying to tend a site like that would kill me.  Plus, these other guys do them so well, why try to add another?

No, Firehouse Zen is about the ESSENCE of leadership, of commanding well-trained, disciplined, professional emergency responders in modern-day disasters.  It’s more about opening your eyes up to your potential and the opportunities you have to learn and change.  It’s all about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and understanding the whole picture.  Thus, the “zen” part of things.

Case in point- yesterday, I was trying to explain to someone the logic in trimming our departmental budget in this uncertain economic environment.  They were pretty positive that any trim was a bad one.  When I pointed out to them that they needed to look at the total picture, they just weren’t buying it.  I said, “Falling fifty feet is going to hurt whether you land in water or on the sidewalk; the difference is that landing in the water will sting for a while, and landing on the sidewalk is more of a permanent issue.”  They still weren’t getting it.  Well, Firehouse Zen probably isn’t going to help this person.  They don’t see the forest for the tree they are standing in front of.

So, if you ARE one of the people who get IT, I hope you add me to your RSS feeds, or link to me, or favorite me, or whatever it is you need to do to come back.  I fixed the “comments” issue, which of course, was something I checked off on that kept anyone from commenting unless they had commented before.  That’s a problem if no one other than me has ever commented before.  So, it’s fixed.  Otherwise, I hope you enjoy my ranting and know that I am truly interested to hear your perspective on things, so long as you can do so in a civil manner and with mutual respect. I know I don’t have all the answers, but I do have a lot of questions, and sometimes those questions help me to understand things and people a little better.

It’s a Zen thing.

Posted by truck6alpha on February 3, 2009 • Filed under: Firefighter Nation, General, change, fire service, leadership, motivation, officership, professionalism • Tagged: , , ,